Joining the Guild of Food Writers has benefits that can last the length of your career as a food writer or broadcaster.

When you become a member, you will have:

Access to the online Food Forum, a lively debating chamber in which members share their considerable knowledge on everything from dealing with publishers to how to stop tofu falling off kebab skewers.

A listing in the online Directory of Guild Members, which is both a showcase of our members' varied talents, and a comprehensive contacts bible listing areas of expertise.

Regular invitations to fascinating food workshops, and events such as our annual Awards and Autumn Event.

Access to the Guild's publications, such as our monthly email newsletter.

The chance to get involved in the Guild's many activities - and have a say in how we are run - by standing for election to the committee.

Access to the password-protected Members' Area of this site, which contains all sorts of information not available on the public side of the site, such as details of discounts, some considerable, offered to GFW members, by various companies and organizations and details of our Benevolent Fund and Bursaries offered by the Guild.

The chance to seek advice on professional matters at a reasonable cost via services arranged by our Professional Issues Secretary, who organises regular pay surveys

How to Join the Guild of Food Writers

Please click on the button below and complete the online application form.

If you know any existing members of the Guild then you can ask them to propose you and second you. If you don't know any Guild members, please don't worry, just go ahead and complete the application form and we'll consider you for membership.

When we receive your online application, we will ask you to send us recent samples of your work.

Applications are considered at regular committee meetings. If an application for membership is rejected, the Committee will explain its reasons and may suggest that the applicant re-apply at a later date.

Who Can Join the Guild of Food Writers

Membership is open to those who are paid to write or broadcast about food.

There are a number of criteria in relation to which the committee considers applications. Please study these before you apply for membership.

Professional

The Guild welcomes applications from people writing about food working across a range of sectors, including:

Authors, journalists, columnists, bloggers

Editors, publishers, ghost-writers

Reviewers, critics, tasting and product experts

Presenters, producers, broadcast researchers

Academics, researchers, course leaders

Experts in health and nutrition, home-economics, recipe writing

Cooks, chefs and restaurateurs

Platforms

In the fast changing world of communications, we recognise that there are many new ways of communicating the written word. We will consider applications from those writing about food through a range of different platforms:

Books, newspapers, magazines

Blogs and websites

Television, radio, video, podcasts (online and broadcast)

Professional and academic journals and papers

Industry publications

Reports, campaigns, policy development documents

Quality

While we do not consider it the role of the Guild to make any judgment on an applicant’s literary merit, we are looking for new members who can show a real commitment to excellence in writing. When assessing applications we are always interested in the following aspects of work and experience:

Proven body of work

Extent of readership

Original contribution

Specialist knowledge

Quality of research

Payment

As a professional association, our membership comprises a wide group of writers, all of whom are paid in some way for their work. Payment for your writing can be in many different forms and we will consider among them:

Publishers’ advances, authors’ fees, book sales

Journalist salaries, freelance payments, commissions

Advertising on your blog, website subscriptions

Research grants, awards and charitable funding

Finally, you will be asked in your application to explain why you would like to join the Guild.

Membership subscription

The annual subscription for membership is currently £85.00 per year payable on 1 January of each year. In your first year:

If you join between 1 January and 31 March you pay the full subscription £85;

If you join between 1 April and 30 June you pay ¾ of the subscription £63.75;

If you join between 1 July and 30 September you pay ½ of the subscription £42.50; and

If you join between 1 October and 31 December you pay ¼ of the subscription £21.25.

Members who have not paid their subscription by the last day of February of the current year shall no longer be deemed to be members and their name will not appear in the online Directory.